headsets

Over the years, Turtle Beach has slowly conquered the space for video game headphones. If you could mark a turning point, it would be the introduction of the groundbreaking Ear Force PX5, which boasts a host of features that included wireless surround sound and programmable presets. That device set the tone and direction for the company.

Since then, the company has expanded its offerings and signed licensing deals with the likes of Activision forCall of Duty-branded headsets. But potentially, its most important partnership may be with Major League Gaming. Players who play competitive online are one of the groups that care most about sound. It’s one of the few ways, where a player’s tech can give an advantage. In Call of Duty, hearing footsteps behind you over the din of gunfire can mean the difference between keeping that killstreak alive and dying prematurely.

With that in mind, Turtle Beach has come out with two wired headsets geared toward that group — the Ear Force Z Seven and the Ear Force PX22. They both offer great sound and boast several features but they don’t come cheap.

Right on the heels of Nintendo’s E3 news conference, Turtle Beach announced that it will be making officially licensed headphones for the upcoming console. In a news release, the company said the headsets will feature built-in chat functionality and it connects to the Wii U GamePad. The planned headsets are also supposed to work with the Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DS.

Given Turtle Beach’s history, I assume that the headsets will be wireless and jam-packed with features similar to its Turtle Beach Ear Force XP500. That device features dual Bluetooth so that players can game in surround sound, answer phone calls and listen to music from their smartphone all from one set of cans. I reviewed a set of Ear Force PX5’s they sent over and they worked well. I can also see the headset being wired as well.

Turtle Beach created the most impressive headset ever with the Ear Force PX5. The device had everything gamers could want in a set of cans. Great surround sound? Check. Dual bluetooth capability? It lets you chat with friends in-game, listen to your own music and answer phone calls at the same time. But what puts it over the top is the software built into the headset. Gamers can adjust the audio to make footsteps louder or quiet the sound of gunshots. It gives them a distinct advantage in competitive play.

Now, the company is producing a special line of licensed headsets forCall of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Turtle Beach could have slapped the game’s logo on the PX5s and that could have satisfied expectations. But they wanted to create something special for what’s likely to be the biggest game of the year, according to analysts.

The Ear Force Modern Warfare 3 headsets come in four flavors each based on different models. They’re labeled Bravo, Charlie, Delta and Foxtrot. On the surface, they look like the original models except with different colors. Along with being reskinned, the company also coated the MW3 headsets in a military-grade paint to give it a sturdy, gritty feel.

*Update We got some wrong info and those Ear Force Bravo headphones are actually $179.95.

Turtle Beach is making some major headway into the video games headphones market, and their latest move is a coup. The Elmsford, N.Y.-based company has struck a deal with Activision to create a new line of Ear Force headsets for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. As you can see, they look good, reminiscent of the PX models, but it’s the sounds they emit that count.

According to Turtle Beach, they’ll be coming out with four different headsets using military call letters — Ear Force Delta, Ear Force Bravo, Ear Force Charlie and Ear Force Foxtrot. All will be different but they’ll come with audio presets specifically designed for the game and tuned by the audio teams from Infinity Ward and Sledgehammer Games.

When Turtle Beach set out to make the most advanced gaming headset on the planet, I didn’t think they’d go this far. I figured having a wireless surround sound would be enough to amaze consumers, but the company known for its audio-related devices went beyond.

They took consumer feedback. They incorporated new ideas. They thought outside of the box. The result of all this hard work is the Ear Force PX5, which is the best set of gaming cans I’ve ever used. With its flagship headset, the Elmsford, N.Y.-based company thought of everything and redefined what headsets can be.

The PX5 has been basically living on my head for the past week. I’ve used them for gaming (of course), music and calls. It’s what I go to when I’m playing late at night so that the house can stay perfectly quiet. It’s what I used while doing work in the office. Here’s a break down of what I thought about them.